Heat and Willis-Ekbom Disease (RLS) Symptom Exacerbation

I am one of those individuals that is quite bothered by heat (don't ask me why I live in Florida). I recently had an infection in a shoulder implant and, until today, have needed to wear a sling immobilizer on my R shoulder/arm. I found this to be beastly hot, even in the air conditioning of my home or car. Even though the sling is not on my legs, if the heat is bothering my arm sling, it increases RLS in both my legs and the affected arm. I will sit, take off the sling and turn up the refrigeration of the air which seems to help.

I have a jacuzzi at home and will be able to get back in it next week. This is a major part of my RLS symptom abatement program. I keep the jacuzzi at 92-94 degrees F (33-34 degrees C) as I do not like cool water to bathe in and that temperature does not seem to bother my RLS. The currents and bubbling of the jacuzzi seem to "overdrive" the unpleasant sensation of my WED (Willis-Ekbom Disease). I will occasionally fall asleep in it. Thankfully, one I sit down and plant my butt securely in the seat, I do not move or lean at all. There have been several times I have spend the whole night in the jacuzzi.

Jerold Crawford

Tampa, FL USA

[Hidden]

I'm sure if you get overheated it does make RLS worse, even if it's not the legs.

I like really hot baths, (I don't know how hot I don't test it, but it feels hot.

Some people find that hot baths relieves their RLS. I used to find it made it worse. The consequent kicking made my own jacuzzi!

I don't envy you being in South US, I read yesterday that the hottest temperature EVER recorded was in Death Valley, 56.4 C (134 F)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was reading an article on that this morning. The 134 degree F actually occurred in 1913 at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley. The instruments as well at the 136 degree F temperature in the Sahara near the same time had not been quality checked and were not accepted by the World Meteorological Association or whatever it is called as there were problems with the instruments. The most reliable quality checked reading was 129 degrees F also at Greenland Ranch in 2013 and in Pakistan and Kuwait in 2017 and 2016 respectively. If the quality measurements hold up, this 130 degree F temperature yesterday will be the highest validated temperature in the world. One of my Aspie interests is weather and weather records. There was also an article on it in this morning Tampa Bay Times. Interestingly enough, it has never hit 100 degrees F here in Tampa. Our record here is 99 degrees F.

[Hidden]

My RLS doesnt like heat but thats mostly at night. After our heat wave here in the UK recently, my nights were awful, i dont sleep well without the heat. BUT, i can sit in a bath of very hot water and get relief all the time i am sitting in it, I use a free standing fan on my legs at night all through summer and winter to keep legs cool, BUT, i use a heat pad on my lower back which seems to help the RLS. Altho no way in our heat wave could i use the heat pad. I cant stand on a cold floor as that sets my RLS off, weird right, even tho my RLS prefers cold. Jacuzzi's were used alot many years ago, when i was a member of a different group online Not many meds available back then, and people who were lucky enough to have a jacuzzi would sleep in them all night.

[SophShaw]

Wow! To have your own jacuzzi! That’s amazing! I guess, being brought up in London UK, and still living here -in my mind, you’re lucky if your bathroom is big enough for a bath!!

I found in the heat wave that sleeping with ice packs strapped to my feet did help. The pain was preferable to the urge to move. Through the heat wave I was sleeping very little (less than an hour each night) and thought I might be losing my mind...

Life goals - jacuzzi in my bathroom, or better still, my bedroom!!

[Hidden]

Mine is out on my pool deck. I still have to endure the heat. It can stay above 28 degrees C overnight in the summer

[Jules1953]

When my restless legs are playing up, they feel very hot. I have to remove the bed covers and move my legs around.

Another thing I have observed over the years is that my legs will be particularly bad for a few days each month. I say to my partner, "I bet it is a full moon".

Without fail, it is a full moon or just each side of it.

My legs are also worse if the weather is hot and dry.

Not very scientific but these are my personal observations.

Don't give me "crap" about this my fellow restless leg suffers. Lots of laughs.

Julie from Western Australia.

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Willis-Ekbom Disease is in the brain but we each have our own unique set of triggers from different locations or different acts that trigger the brain to malfunction. Many people talk about "pleasuring themselves" as a way to get over the RLS and get to sleep. For me, it is the opposite. Having an orgasm triggers such unpleasant RLS feeling for me that last for 15 minutes afterwards that it is not work trying the majority of the time. Some people talk about caffeine and how it bothers them, while others say a cup of coffee helps with the RLS. Same thing with peanut butter - makes my RLS unbearable, while others say that peanut butter helps. Sugar send me into orbit, while others say it has no effect.

We definitely are all individuals and everyone needs to respect that something that works for them may be a disaster for someone else in terms of their RLS. Most people do understand this but occasionally someone new to the site may not. No one here should worry about getting "crap" because of the uniqueness of their RLS or its triggers.

[involuntarydancer in reply to Hidden]

That is one of the great thing about a forum like this: getting access to such an extensive pool of recommendations. You never know when you are going to log in and find the simple, inexpensive (or even expensive) suggestion that transforms your rls experience - it helps to keep hope alive. Also, over time it becomes evident which tips work for quite a lot of sufferers and which are more idiosyncratic.